Pokeshipping Week Day 7: Midnight Conversation
by NijiBrush
Summary: Like father, like son. (Pokeshipping)


Midnight Conversation (Misty's POV)

It was quiet. He was quiet. And for Ash Ketchum that was certainly a first. For big mouth Ash Ketchum. Sure we didn't exactly fight much anymore, but that was more because I'd changed than he had, trust me. It had taken years of putting up with each other to reach this much of a truce. Of learning all the little parts of him that could get under my skin and drive me crazy.

Because he did, he drove me crazy.

I pulled my knees up until I could rest my chin on them. In front of me was a crackling fire, and sprawled out next to it, like someone had killed him, was Ash. Pikachu perched on his chest was rising and falling with every breath his trainer took. Normally another gym badge would have been dancing around in his dreams, and Brock's would have been the third sleeping bag, but time has a way.

A way of changing everything, and yet not bothering to get rid of the really important parts. Or annoying parts. So this time I could only guess about Ash's dreams, not that food or battles were ever too far off. But that third sleeping bag… Slinking over to it quietly I looked down at the little boy sound asleep inside. My eyes had an instinct all their own that made me scan in an instant, for any signs of something being wrong. It wasn't that motherhood was making me paranoid, but…but motherhood was making me paranoid. But seeing he was fine I just sat and watched for a second or two.

Not that I was the one _most_ paranoid, nope not even close. Not that I would have ever called it, but Ash was the one. The fact that we were even here was proof of that. It was just camp, and nearby too, but Ash just couldn't stand to let him go alone. So here I was again, spending the night out in the woods in a lumpy sleeping bag. Not that the littlest version of Ash seemed to mind. I'd spent a half hour just trying to pick the leaves out of his messy hair.

 _Humpf, like father like son..._

Was all I could think as I watched him sleep. He had the same black hair and brown eyes. Was just as reckless, but… I felt a little smile slowly slip across my face. But there was something different about him, a certain...gentleness that reminded me of myself. An uncertainness, sensitiveness. I wasn't really sure how to explain it but looks aside, he was more than just his father's son in every way.

Reaching out without even thinking, I traced my fingers gently across his cheek. But no sooner had I, I jerked my hand back when I suddenly heard a voice from behind me.

"Mist?"

I tumbled backward almost losing my balance before I recovered at the last moment. Putting a hand over Ash's mouth I shushed him. Ash just blinked, silently asking me what he's done wrong. Pulling him to the side, just outside the firelight, I finally answered. "Don't wake him, Ash."

He blinked again, before looking back at our son's sleeping figure in the distance. "I was wondering if he was alright, is all…" He mumbled out weakly as he poked his two index fingers together.

I sighed. "He's fine, I guess I'm just the one who can't sleep is all…"

Ash's face twisted into that childishly snide look that no amount of years could cure him of. "Scared of the dark, Mist?"

I frowned at him rolling my eyes. "Hardly, Mr. Pokemon Master, but my back is a little old for sleeping on a cold lumpy ground, thank you very much. Blame it on years spent following some crazy adventurer…" I said trailing off, knowing he got my point.

He just smiled, only this time it was the sweet look that made me keep putting up with him. "Sorry, Mist, tonight's my fault too, huh?"

I nodded, crossing my arms and looking back out the campsite. "Yeah, because you're turning into an old worrywart faster than I am."

I felt Ash rest his chin on my shoulder as he wrapped his arms around me. "I just wanna be a good dad…"

I didn't say anything at first, we both knew why that mattered so much to him. "You are…" I mumbled in one breath.

"Really…?" he asked with all that same childish sincerity.

Smiling playfully I glanced him out of the corner of my eye. "No sorry, I meant to say you're a real deadbeat."

I still loved seeing that annoyed look on his face, even after all these years. "That's not funny, Mist…"

I reached up to touch the side of his face. "Well, that's what you get for not accepting a compliment, to begin with, Ash."

He got quiet and we both just kept looking in the direction of that little sleeping bag. To be honest, I was starting to get sleepy the longer we stood there, so when he finally did speak, it almost scared me.

"The other kids don't play with him much...do they?" He said saying something that surprised me.

I frowned thinking about it, not that I hadn't noticed. "He prefers pokemon to people I guess…"

"Only because the people aren't playing with him much anyway…" Ash mumbled back sounding discouraged.

I pulled back and turned until we were standing face to face. "Hey, where is all this coming from…?"

Ash bit his lip and stared down at the ground before trying to answer. "I just want him to fit in is all…"

For a second I just stared at him, but then a little smile filled my face. "Brings back some memories, doesn't it?"

He looked up at me, almost seeming like he didn't get my point, but I just went on anyway. "

"I know all about how that goes, about being the lonely little kid that doesn't fit in. But our kid is tough, and he's great… Just give the world a little time to figure that out too…" Then I looked up at him, right straight in the eyes. "They figured it out about you, didn't they…?"

He smiled just a little as his eyes trailed toward the ground, and then shyly back up at me. It was that same look he'd gotten since the first time I'd ever heard him confess to me. "Love ya, Misty…"

I leaned up on my toes and kissed his cheek. Then I just stared at him, a playful, but completely certain smile on my face. "I know." Then I reached to poke his nose. "But it goes double for you. Now, let's get some sleep, I don't want you lazing around all day tomorrow."

That night with the stars burning overhead, little a million little reminders that this was really my life, my family, I let myself drift to sleep. Not knowing what tomorrow holds for any of us, but trusting and believing, that it would be worth the wait…

Because I didn't believe, no not for a second, that any son of Ash Ketchum could be headed for anything other than an amazing future. I wasn't sure what he'd do, who he'd meet, or even if any little piece of him would really turn out to be just like me…

But…

Life was okay, and his would be too. And I...well as his mom, I was just really glad I got to be a part of it…

FIN

 **Happy Pokeshipping day everyone!**


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